Are You Ready to Change the Way You Think?

Here's what happens when you introduce a transformative new idea to a large group of people:

Some people will find a reason to dismiss it. For instance, if you take a group of dentists at random and start to explain the virtues of changing patient mindsets and creating value for comprehensive care, a good portion will respond with “yeah, but ... ” Yeah but I can't do that kind of dentistry in my location. Yeah but my team isn't ready for this. Yeah but I don't have the right patients for that kind of thing.

I believe that in their hearts, most of these people know that what they're hearing is a good idea, but they sense that they are so far away from it that it's simply easier to find a reason not to do it.

Some people will look for the quick fix. Here's another example: If you talk to that same group of dentists about the power of social media and how it's going to change the dentist-patient dynamic, a number of those dentists will think, “I'm going to go back home and start tweeting and 'friending' my patients right away.” After all, it's relatively easy to do, it doesn't upset the status quo much, and it feels like you're doing something new. But it's really only skimming the surface of the true possibilities.

A few people will change the way they think. These are the ones who get inspired by the idea of delivering better dentistry to more people. They look for ways they can make it happen, rather than reasons they can't. These are the ones who get excited about things like the social media revolution and start to think about how to create their own revolution in how they connect with patients. These are the ones who embrace big ideas, who welcome change, and aren't afraid to take bold action where they see big rewards.

One of these groups is consistently at the forefront of great dentistry. I don't think I need to tell you which one.